Motion Semantics
/ˈmoʊʃən sɪˈmæntɪks/
ETYMOLOGY
Latin motio (movement) + Greek sēmantikos (significant, meaning)
COINED BY
The Chromologium Archives
The encoded meaning inherent in animation characteristics—where spring stiffness, damping ratio, mass, and easing curve communicate the nature, weight, and consequence of an interface state change without textual explanation.
A spring with high stiffness and low damping communicates playful energy (Glass Garden); a spring with high damping and sharp corners communicates precision and authority (Midnight Editorial). The physics profile IS the message.
“Animation is not decoration; it is the body language of the interface.”
The Chromologium Archive (2026). “Motion Semantics”. Lexicon of Emergent Disciplines. https://chromologium.com/lexicon/motion-semantics